Animal trap



March 24, 1931. F. w. MILLER 1,797,784

ANIMAL TRAP Filed May 15, 1929 Patented Mar. 24, 1931 PATENT OFFICE FREDWILLIAM MILLER, or ARMSTRONG, Innmna ANIMAL TRAP Application filed May15,1929. Serial No. 363,225. I

The object of this invention is to provide an animal trap embodymgimprovements on that general type of trap having a self-010s,- ing dooradapted to be released, to enable it to close, when the animal enteringthe trap steps 7 said door being for the introduction, or reupon atrigger or trigger-platform.

My improvements relate, more particularly, to the door holding andreleasing means whereby said means are susceptible to relatively fineadjustment or setting so that it will v i? journalled Iin'the'sides ofthe trap. Securedbe instantly tripped when the animal touches thetrigger or the trigger-platform; further, to provide an improvedconstruction and relationship of a live bait compartment and trapcompartment; still further, to provide improvements whereby the mountingfor the trigger or trigger-platform may be accessible from the exteriorof the trap.

The adjusting and opcratingmeans Whereby the door is held open and isreleased, mainly located outside of the trap so that 1t is accessiblefor adjustments to meet conditions and enable compensation to be madefor the difference in weight between the trap door 7 1n raisedposition,as shownlin Fig; 1. i

and the trigger or trigger-platform.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1, is a side elevation, the parts being in set condition;

Fig. 2, is a plan view;'and

Fig. 3, is an endelevation.

The trap has a main trapping compartment 1, a live bait compartment 2,and a heavy screen provided with a top 3 anda Wall 4, the

latter separating compartment 1 fromv compartment 2 and preventlng'theanlmal in compartment 1 from 1n ur1ng or devouring the live bait incompartment 2.

The screen top 3 enables the light to have access to the interior of thetrap and allay the fears of the animal as to entering the compartment 1;also, makes the live bait in the compartment 2visible and attractive tothe animal.

The animal enters the open end 5 of the compartment 1 and is trappedwithin said compartment bythe falling of the gravity acting door 6,which operates in grooves, channels, or guides 7. A catch 8 engageablewith the piece 9 on the door 6, holds the door in closed position. Asupplemental opening, by theanimal. Any suitable friction washi159ofhole s 27 in a'connectingbar 28.

10 provided with a vertically 'slidable closure, 11 enables the animaltoleave the compartment 1 when theftrapper decides to let it out. The livebait compartment 2 has an hinged door 12 which is held closed by thelatch 13,

moval, of thelive bait.

Extending cross-wise of the compartment 1 adjacent the lower'partof thewire screen partition 4; is a rock shaft 14 which is suitably to thisrockshaft is a trigger or trigger-platform 15,-screwsor otherfastenin'gs 1 6 being used to connectthetrigger-platform to the shaft.-i 'f [To aifordacces's to the screws 16, the bot-mt tom ofthecompartment 1 is provided with a r removablesection ordoor 17 held byscrews Rising from thetop of the trap is a fulcrum post 19 on whosepointed or fulcrum up-L per-end fulcrumed thepie'ce whose end 21 isadapted'itoengage under the piece 9on' the door-'6v for the purpose ofholding the door6 tending partthereof which is'adapted to engage a notch241011 the inner end of thepiece 20. The shaft '22fhas a crank 25 whosewrist pin 26 may'be'inserted in any one'of a series;

' Passing through a hole in the outer end of the shaft 14 is a hookshaped'rod'29 on whose screw threaded part are nuts 30.

justedtransversely-in relation to the shaft l i'to set the hook'part ofsaidrod atvarying distances from the shaft 14.

.1 The'hookpart oftlie rod passes through a "holeinthe connecting bar 28and isprovided withaxwing nut.;31 by whichany desired fric- "tionalengagement may be had as between the 1bar 28 and the hook" part oftherod29. The purpose ofthis construction is to balance the difference in"weight between the door 6 and s V "the trigger and the -triggerplatform-15 so that [a delicate adjustment may be had and the trigger 15 rendered sensitive to tripping The nuts 911111710 he hook shaped rod29' to be ads a suspicious of the trap and is inclined to enter the openend 5 and approach the bait in the chamber 2 but on approaching thepartition 4, the animal either steps upon, or brushes against, theplatform or'trigger 1 5 and upon this occurring, the trigger or platformis depressed, the shaft leis-rocked, the bar 28 pushed, the shaft 22turned, and the hook 23 disengaged from the notch 24, whereupon the maybe connected thereto at different points of the length of said bar tovary the leverage, a rod carried by the trigger or trigger-platform andadjustable cross-wise in relation to the pivotal part of said platformto vary the leverage, and a tensionable joint between the said rod andthe said bar to increase or decrease the friction and thereby change thesensitiveness of the action of'the-partsl In testimony whereof I affixmy signature.

' FRED WILLIAM MILLER.

door 6 will drop and'the animal will be I trapped. v

What-I claim; is: V 1'.- In an animal trap of the type employing anactuable trigger or trigger-platform, and

a self-closing door released bysaid trigger or trigger-platform, doorsustaining and tripping means comprising a linkage having tensioningmeans whereby compensation may I behad for the difference in weightbetween the door and the trigger or trigger Iatform,

thereby to render the trap sensitive.

2. In an animal trap of the type employing anactuable trigger or triggerplatform, a self-closing door released by said trigger ortrigger-platform, comprising a connecting. bar, means operated by saidbar for sustaining and releasing the door, and an adjustable connectionbetween the bar and the trigger or trigger platform to vary theleverage.

3. In an. animal trapof the type em loying an actuable trigger ortrigger plat orm, a

self-closing door releasedby said trigger or trigger-platform,comprising a connecting,

bar, means operated by said bar for sustainmg andreleasmg the door,anadmstable connection between the bar and the trigger or trigger platformadapted to be changed to vary the leverage, and an adjustable connectionbetween the bar and the means for holding and releasing the door,whereby the trigger or trigger-platform may beadjusted V to assumedifi'erent normalpositions-to varyv the leverage and balance the doorand platform in respeet'to each other. v v 4; The herein-describedadjustable and tensionable door-holding andtr'ipping means ingsaiddooropen, a rock shaft having a hook for animal trap com-pris nga pivotallymounted; trigger or triggerplatform,-a self-. 7

closing door, a fulcrumed member for holdengaging said fnlcrumed member,said,- rock shaft being providediw-itha crank,- a con,-

necting bar having means whereby the crank:

